How One Layoff Led to Her Greatest Success at 63
episodePreviously titled “Founder of Girlz Who Sell on Teaching DEI Through Children’s Books” — renamed by the publisher on Aug 2, 2026
Transcript
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What inspired Heidi Solomon Orlick to transition from corporate life to entrepreneurship?
You know, in today's world with so many diversity, equity and inclusion programs getting rolled back and history being rewritten, I think it's not only my legacy and my, you know, calling to publish children's books around diversity, equity and inclusion, but it's my responsibility. So what's a good inspirational quote or anything that you may want to add for folks that are listening? Yeah, I think. My name's Rudy Moore, host of Living the Red Life podcast, and I'm here to change the way you see your life in your earpiece every single week. If you're ready to start living the red life, ditch the blue pill, take the red pill, join me in Wonderland and change your life. Welcome back to another episode of the Living Your Legacy podcast, the Red Life edition.
Joining me today is Heidi Sullivan Orlik. She's a woman in power because she champions diversity, Um, she is also the founder of girls who sell girls with a Z is that girl with a Z and she's creating opportunities for underrepresented women and who want to thrive in professional sales. Welcome to The Red Life. Thank you for having me. You are glowing. Something tells me you just finished filming your episode for Women in Power. I did, and it was amazing. I really had fun.
How did Heidi's early career aspirations shape her journey?
I was a little nervous coming in, but you know what? We were BFFs by the time it was done, so it was all good. I shared my life story, so she knows secrets about me that most people don't. There it is. I like that trailer hook. Give us a bit of a preview. What is some of these secrets that folks will learn about you? I walk them through my origin story and some of the pivotal moments throughout my childhood that influenced, you know, some of the decisions that I made along the way of how I want to show up in the world and what's important to me from a legacy perspective. So we walk through, you know, starting at five days old. Yeah. That was pretty early. Wow. Was that one of your first memories? Well, not memories, but it was my first pivotal moment when I was adopted at five days old.
And so that definitely changed the entire course of my life.
What pivotal life experiences influenced Heidi's approach to diversity and inclusion?
And then walked us all the way through to... Well, I'm 66 years old. That's a great number, by the way. That was a long journey. Oh, man, it would have been great if this were... In between. Oh, man, this would have been great if we were Friday the 13th and you're 66. Oh, man, good old me. Wouldn't that be awesome? Where do you want to begin? I've got my show notes that you come from sales. Do you want to talk about your life lessons, your sales journey? How do you want to begin the sales script, ma'am? Yeah. So I actually did not start my career in sales like so many other women because sales is so male dominated. I fell in.
How does Heidi's project, Girlz Who Sell, empower underrepresented women?
I fell into sales. But before that, I wanted to be a journalist and a reporter. I spent 10 years in advertising and marketing until I crashed and burned at 30. Advertising and marketing print, I'm sure. Like actual ads, TV. Yeah, ads, TVs. I wasn't in them. I worked for an ad agency. Correct, correct. Uh, and, um, but that's, we're talking about the good old days of three martini lunches. And, um, you know, I was doing a lot of travel at the time and, uh, living in LA really deep into the LA scene. And, um, after three engagements and, you know, really- After three? Three engagements. I love it.
What themes are explored in Heidi's children's book series?
But then I met my lovely husband. We've been married too for 32 years. Right on. But, you know, burned out and had no idea, exited the ad agency business with no plan B, had no idea what I was going to do and bumped into a friend of mine that I had met in college. And he was like, I was like, do you still have that telemarketing company? He was like, yeah, I do. He said, what's going on in your life? And I said, well, you know, 30, unmarried, you know, have no job. Life is great. I want to get into telemarketing. You know, and he was like, well, why don't you be in my office tomorrow morning? I'd love to hire you as my VP of sales. Right on. And I had no idea what I was doing, but nobody did at that time.
We were all making it up.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What inspired Heidi Solomon Orlick to transition from corporate life to entrepreneurship?
0:00–1:18
2
How did Heidi's early career aspirations shape her journey?
1:18–2:19
3
What pivotal life experiences influenced Heidi's approach to diversity and inclusion?
2:19–3:04
4
How does Heidi's project, Girlz Who Sell, empower underrepresented women?
3:04–3:51
5
What themes are explored in Heidi's children's book series?
3:51–4:41
6
How does Heidi define her mission in promoting DEI through literature?
4:41–5:20
7
What advice does Heidi give to those considering a career change?
5:20–6:50
8
How can listeners connect with Heidi and learn more about her work?
6:50–23:01
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